Ryan didn’t get very far into studying the information in the stickies before William turned to him and pulled him back into their discussion. “We’ll stay here for the night and you can head back to the valley lodge tomorrow. As soon as you verify the location is safe we’ll send in an advance team through your portal. They’ll secure the immediate area and start preparing the lodge for relocation. Fine by you?” before he added, “Oh, and John asked to remind you that having a second Dimensional Anchor would be really convenient.”

“I know. I’ve tried to figure out why I can’t do it but so far I’m beat as to how to increase my understanding.” admitting this fact to his brother was less painful than he expected and Ryan considered whether he should ask for help. A new perspective on the issue might prove the solution to the problem. “You have any inkling what else I could try? I’ve studied what I can perceive of the Anchor, how the portal ties to it, how energy flows, tried casting another one and generally deepened my understanding of space-shenanigans.”

“Have you tried re-casting the thing in different locations?” William asked. If Ryan had ever had a moment in life where he would have dearly loved to face-palm it must have been this moment. This moment, beyond all others, where he realised that he had gotten so stuck in a problem that he missed the most elemental solution possible. So he went ahead and face-palmed himself. The smack was loud and clear, Ryan had, after all, put more than a little force into it.

“Wow. That bad?” William chuckled. “In your defence, you were running around most of the time lately and needed that Anchor to remain. Also, I think you’ve barely had time to step back and analyse the issue. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anybody.”

“Too late. I know and won’t let him forget it.” chimed in Johannes from the side.

“Et tu, brute?” Ryan turned to the Packmaster who had a downright evil grin on his face. “Remind me not to grab you and Shift straight into Otji. I might forget you were along for the ride when I flee from Ou Baas in haste.” he joked, mostly.

“You wouldn’t!” came Johannes’ shocked reply.

“Yeah. I wouldn’t.” Ryan sighed. It was a pleasant thought however and a sly grin stole onto his features which, in turn, wiped Johannes’ grin of his face. “Well, so we’ll just sit here and relax for now?” he asked his brother.

“Nope, you and Johannes stay for now, Miguel and I need a Portal back. I’ll send over Mike and Carmen later if that’s fine. Think it’s safe to have a fire here?” William replied.

“Should be fine if we have it on the side facing away from town. Why?”

“You look like you could use a braai. A little pick-me-up. I might have a six-pack stashed somewhere if you ask nicely.” William hinted.

Ryan got down on his knees and kow-towed. “Oh great master. Please, pretty please, give me a beer.”

William laughed, “Fine, that should do it.” I’ll send the stuff with Mike later. “Send us off, will you?”

Once William and Miguel had left quiet returned to their little hilltop observation post. Neither Johannes nor Ryan were great talkers and the companionable silence they enjoyed while they kept an eye on the town was relaxing. Ryan dove back into the stickies and educated himself. Most off the stuff didn’t prove particularly relevant to him as he’d either discovered it on his own, contributed the knowledge in the first place or had been informed of it prior to his perusal. Some nuggets stood out. For example, repeatedly trying to force an object bigger than his little pocket dimension inside the said space greatly improved the rate the space grew, even if it drained Energy at a prodigious rate and resulted in a headache. Miguel’s assumptions regarding the progress of cultivation were an interesting read too and Ryan resolved to try some of the techniques the Scout suggested.

Before he knew it the uneventful hours keeping watch over a dead town had passed and the soft ding of William’s message reminding him to spin up a Portal put an end to their solitude. Ryan glanced at Fury who had snoozed the afternoon away and saw that his soulbond was still snoring adorably before he spun up the Portal while comfortably reclining in his chair. It was another first and he couldn’t figure out why he had always felt the need to cast the Skill while standing in an upright position. This was way more comfortable. Mike, Carmen and, surprisingly, Alexis stepped through the Portal once it had extended to its full three metre circumference.

“Hey Alexis, what brings you along?” Ryan greeted her laconically.

“I want to check up on your health. And besides, William told me that it was the only way he’d be sharing his beer. You should have seen the amount of volunteers to watch over your sleep once he mentioned that little fact.” she joked.

“Great, so my little brother had to bribe people to watch me sleep?” Ryan questioned.

“No, not really. But everyone is busy preparing for the move and things are kinda hectic. Anyway, Tanya is packing up the medical supplies and my personal gear is not gonna take long to pack. So I decided you could use my company.”

Ryan wasn’t certain if Alexis was actually flirting with him but her teasing tone implied it. He had noticed that she had become friendlier during his training regime but wasn’t certain of her intention. Ryan had also noticed that more of the Guild members were shacking up together but kept himself aside. He wasn’t certain what he wanted but surviving and getting stronger were his primary goals so he hadn’t even entertained thoughts of this nature. ‘Seems like the lazy afternoon has made me soft.’ He jokingly reprimanded himself before he actually smelled Alexis. ‘Goddamn little minx. I really had no need to know when woman are ovulating.’ he scoffed at himself and his bond. Alexis smell did excite him and quietly he wondered if some feline instincts had bled over when mutating his DNA. His thoughts were running away from him and Ryan realised that he hadn’t replied to Alexis yet who had a puzzled look on her face as she stood over him.

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“Sorry, zoned out there for a moment. The word beer triggered a waking wet dream. No, not that kind of wet.” he joked. Her sly chuckle sent shivers down his spine. “No, not that kind of wet.” she said as she unpacked a camp chair next to him and settled down. “Mike’s setting up the fire. He was adamant about being the only one qualified to do it. Pfff, he can do all the work he wants. I’m content to relax as much as I can possibly can.” she finished and lapsed into silence.

Ryan didn’t feel the need to reply and the pair of them quietly watched as Mike and Carmen set up a fire-pit downslope. Before too long a small pyramid of camelthorn logs was merrily burning in the pit and the slightest sent of smoke percolated up the hill. Ryan realised that the ever-present wind reigning over the past couple of days had settled down and that the bush was so absolutely quiet he could clearly hear the crackling of the fire even at his current remove. It was a strange thought, he couldn’t remember the bush ever being that quiet. Investigating this train of thought further he came to realise that it had actually been bothering him over the past two days, the total absence of animals in the area was uncanny. He turned that though over a couple of times but couldn’t figure out a possible reason and eventually gave up on the matter as Mike put some steaks on the grill.

Alexis and he relocated their chairs to the fire and joined in the conversation the group of three already present where having. It mostly revolved around the impending relocation to the valley and their worries and hope for the future. Even if the topics were heavy the conversation remained light-hearted, more hopeful than bleak and Ryan could feel his spirits rising as the meat sizzled on the grill and the setting sun painted the sparse clouds in the brilliant shades of an African sunset.

As the sun touched the horizon Mike plated the steaks and chops and reverently unwrapped five bottles of beer from their wet towels. With exaggerated care he opened each one and handed them out individually. The scene reminded Ryan of a priest sharing communion with his flock and he couldn’t help but laugh. With similar reverence they each drank some beer before tucking in. Conversation was non-existent as they enjoyed the meal and the rare treat of the beer. It resumed shortly after, now touching on their experiences over the past few months before Carmen made an observation that dropped into their chat like a high-yield nuke. “Say, I’ve been thinking. Since the croc apparently wiped out Otji fairly quickly, do you guys think we might find beer there?”

The discussion that resumed after the shocked silence was feverish, urgent and emotional. Tackling Ou Baas had now become a matter of great urgency and Ryan smiled quietly to himself. If they only knew what he had found when he scouted the lodges. He’d keep that surprise for later though and resolved to hide his welcome present until the whole Guild had arrived at their new home.

Something jolted Ryan awake a few hours later. He had gone to bed with a slight buzz after the group had unanimously agreed that he of all of them deserved to have a second beer. The gesture had been touching but after several months of abstinence Ryan’s tolerance had dropped significantly. His bladder was uncomfortably full but that wasn’t the reason he was now wide awake. A looming presence in his immediate vicinity sent premonitory shivers across his skin. The indistinct shape moved closer. The movement put the whole situation in perspective.

(The shape wasn’t looming over him but the house sized crocodile was stealthily cresting the summit of their little hill. Ryan froze and wondered why there hadn’t been any alarm from his supposed watchers. It was inconceivable that Ou Baas had evaded all of their detection. With microscopic movements Ryan opened his sleeping bag and raised himself on his elbows. The croc inched ever closer to their camp and still no one called out. From his raised position Ryan could make out the lower hillside in the shimmering moonlight and not debating further he shifted himself and Fury down the hill.

The lioness yowled in consternation as she was rudely awoken from her comfortable position on his lower extremities and Ryan could hear the splintering sounds as Ou Baas’ tail smashed through the bushes around the camp as it turned around to charge at their position. Distantly he recognised a shrill scream that abruptly cut off with a meaty thwack as the sound of demolished vegetation came rapidly closer.

Ryan rose into a crouch and grabbed Fury before he Shifted further downslope and started running in direction of the road. Ou Baas was gaining with every second and Ryan had to Shift forward again before he was close to the road. He vaulted the low fence that bordered the road with a heroic leap and nearly stumbled on landing imbalanced as he was by the feline he was carrying. Unceremoniously dropping her on the ground and telling her to run he sped off along the road leading the reptile away from his friends and hoping that they were alive. Desperately hoping that he could tire it out along the clear stretch that would allow him to Shift forward whenever the beast got too close. At least until his Energy was drained.)

...A humanoid shape stood over him and its arm was approaching his shoulder. He grabbed the offending appendage before it could touch him and got ready to defend himself.

“Sorry to wake you.” came the low voice of Alexis. “I’m done with my watch. I forgot my sleeping bag. Mind if I shift my cot over next to yours so we can share? It’s kinda cold”

His mouth suddenly dry he only nodded and started opening his sleeping bag to convert it into a blanket while Alexis dragged her cot next to his. As she settled onto her cot he spread her half of the sleeping bag over her and settled rigidly on his back. An ice-cold hand slipped onto his chest and she murmured drowsily. “Oh you’re nice and warm.” before she subsided with a sigh. Moments later the soft susurration of her breath told him that Alexis had fallen asleep near instantly. It took an eternity before the gentle embrace of sleep claimed him again.